3,500th Export Mi-17 Goes to IAF

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will receive the 3,500th export version of the Mi-17 as part of an ongoing contract Mi-17V-5 helicopters signed with Russian Helicopters back in 2012.

The company states that an original order in 2008 for 80 Mi-17V-5s was met and that a further requirement for 71 was issued by India in 2012-13. These are currently in production and are being fitted with the KNEI-8 avionics suite and the PKV-8 autopilot.

Russian Helicopters CEO Alexander Mikheev explained that around 250 Russian built helicopters are operational in India.